City Is Serving Up Free Summer Meals For Children In Queens And Brooklyn

Available At Schools, Pools And Libraries

Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott, joined by the New York Yankees, government agencies, elected officials and nonprofit organizations, today encouraged families to take advantage of free breakfast and lunch for their youngsters as part of the annual summer meals program.

Summer meals are provided through Aug. 30 in more than 1,000 locations throughout the five boroughs, including schools, pools, parks, libraries, public housing sites and soup kitchens.

In addition to these locations, the Department of Education (DOE) is operating mobile refrigerated trucks that provide meals to children at Orchard Beach in the Bronx, Flushing Meadows Park and the Queens Public Library.

Last summer, more than seven million meals were served.

To help promote summer meals, the American Dairy Association has partnered with the Yankees to have several Yankee alumni visit summer meals locations next month. In addition, Share Our Strength, a national non-profit that focuses on eliminating childhood hunger, is helping city agencies and the DOE get the word out that breakfast and lunch are available all summer to children.

“The bottom line is that there’s an obesity epidemic in this city and our children have got to eat healthier meals,” Walcott said. “We’re determined to create a sea-change in our students’ eating habits, and that’s not going to stop this summer. Our summer meals program provides children who are 18 years old or younger with free healthy options, and they can enjoy them without interrupting their summer activities. I want to thank all our partners for their efforts in making the summer meals program a success.”

“Since Share our Strength began our involvement in New York we have seen major growth in the summer meals program, but there is still work to do to make sure no child goes hungry in this city,” said Share Our Strength Chief Strategy Officer Josh Wachs. “We are proud to stand with our partners and the DOE to make sure every child knows that free, healthy meals are available to them.”

“Summertime shouldn't be hungry time for our children,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Regional Administrator James Arena- DeRosa. “The Summer Food Service Program provides free nutritious meals to low-income children when the school doors close. Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does the need for healthy food.”

“My office, in partnership with city agencies and community stakeholders, works hard to promote this important program and ensure that all children have access to healthy, nutritious foods throughout the summer,” said Food Policy Coordinator Kimberly Kessler. “Working with stakeholders to promote this program has resulted in increased participation, a trend we aim to continue for the thousands of children who rely on the ability to receive a free, healthy breakfast and lunch after the end of the school year.”

“We want to make sure youngsters maintain a healthy lifestyle during the summer months, and what better way than through free breakfast and lunch that meet our nutritional standards and are low in fat and sodium,” Deputy Chancellor of Operations Kathleen Grimm said.

“Free summer meals ensure that children have access to healthy and nutritious food even the when school year is over for most students,” said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “I want to thank the Department of Education, as well as all partnering city agencies and non-profit organizations that have worked to promote summer meals, and together, we will continue providing children with free and healthy meals. This program is a vital component to combating hunger and helping our students remain healthy and active throughout the summer.”

“Summer meals are vital to ensuring that low-income children receive adequate nutrition in the summer months,” said New York City Coalition Against Hunger Executive Director Joel Berg. “We must increase the usage of federallyfunded summer meals for low-income students. I encourage those interested to visit http://www.nyccah.org/summermeals for a map of summer meals sites across the city.”

To find a location nearby, parents can call 311; log onto the DOE’s homepage, schools.nyc.gov; Share Our Strength’s website; or contact NYCFood at www.nyc.gov/nycfood. Parents also may text “nycmeals to 877877, or visit the Parks Department’s website for locations in parks and pools.

During the weekends only lunch is served and mobile food trucks are operational during weekends only at Flushing Meadows -Corona Park. Weekend lunch hours at pools and parks vary according to individual sites.

The DOE’s summer meals program, which is administered by the Office of SchoolFood, has been operating for more than 30 years.

Locally, summer meals will be served at the following sites (except where noted, breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., Monday through Friday):